A nonprofit that serves housing insecure youth and young people with family instability has opened a new Youth Education and Support Center on Bloomington’s west side.
Project Oz Youth Service Director Cheris Larson said the addition has an open floor plan, a technology area, food education section, internet access, an area to clean up, and even laundry services.
“There's no place in the area that you can do laundry for a young person. You can go to a laundromat, but it'll cost 10 bucks to even do a load of laundry," said Larson.
Project Oz serves 90-100 people in its runaway and crisis department every year. They stay with host families.
“They don’t necessarily feel comfortable doing laundry at the family’s home, so then they’ll come here the next morning,” said Larson. “So, that is something that is really important to them.”
Project Oz also serves 50-60 young people in its off-site emergency shelter at an undisclosed location. That shelter, she said, does not have a laundry facility. It’s also useful for those in a 30-bed transition program because many apartment buildings don’t have washers and dryers on site or in apartments either, she said.
Project Oz CEO Lisa Thompson said making washing and drying available is about more than hygiene.
"It directly impacts youth health. It builds confidence. It impacts job readiness, and it enforces a sense of stability and self-worth," said Thompson.
It’s a deceptively crucial utility with effects beyond the immediate.
“When we’re meeting the basic needs of young people, then it allows them the opportunities to look for their long-term goals,” said Thompson.
Private donations and a $250,000 state capital grant paid for the $1 million center on West Front Street. Mark Donovan, CEO of the Bank of Pontiac, said the bank donated $20,000 and helped finance the expansion.
“Their passion for what they do is contagious and when we had the opportunity to participate, we jumped at the chance,” he said.
Other services
The addition to the main building at Project Oz creates new possibilities to connect and serve youth and families in McLean and Livingston counties.
“Those youth that maybe don’t have a place right now, or just need a safe place to come, this is going to be huge for them,” said Kristen Kubsch, chair of the external affairs committee on the Project Oz board.
Brittany Lurz, transitional living specialist for the Maternity Group Home program, said the center offers weekly food education classes as part of a life skills initiative to teach how to prep and make affordable [less than $30] meals in less than 30 minutes.
“It really helps build financial independence along with stability through the life skills class. Along with the food, this helps them to know how much they’re spending on food and how long it takes and overall help budgeting,” said Lurz.
Early reviews from youth are positive.
“They like the space. They feel less squished,” said Thompson.
“They grab a bite to eat. They do a load of laundry. They may go over to the technology station. They work with their case manager. They may get help with their after-school homework. They could look for a job. They are able to sit in a safe, comfortable location that they can set some goals and we can work on things with young people to help them continue their path into adulthood,” said Thompson.
New certification
Project Oz also has received a big boost from the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.
Thompson said the state has certified the organization as a new Behavioral Health Clinic. She said that removes time limits [often 90 days] on mentoring and other services Project Oz provides to youth in crisis.
"What this will allow us to do is to continue services so that young person has ongoing support," said Thompson.
The designation also helps help Project Oz expand services to young people on Medicaid.
"We're going to start with the young people that we have and extending the time that they're with us, and then we'll grow to be able to take young people directly into our behavioral health center," said Thompson.
She said it took about a year of work to gain the certification.
